Healing Prayer

In today’s gospel, “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” The judge in the parable who doesn't fear God or respect any human being is affected by the persistent of the widow. And the gospel ends with the Lord asking, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:1,8)

 I am taking a class at my parish called Introduction to Christian Healing, today was our second class. The book we are reading starts by asking these questions: “Is it possible that God directly heals people? Does it really happen? All other questions in this ministry depend on the first and most important question of all: is there such a thing as healing through prayer?” (Healing by Francis MacNutt, p.17) The book talks about many things. It talks about some of the reasons that Christians don’t believe in the healing power of prayer. It talks about Jesus’ ministry and how he cured all those who came to him. Never did Christ encourage the sick to patiently endure their illness (p.34). It also speaks about how the early Christians had the same power to preach, to heal, and to cast out demons that Jesus did. And we are able to do the same because Jesus was the one who did and continues to do the healing. It isn’t man.

This got me to wonder if I need to be doing more at work for my patients. I pray for the families to find comfort and strength in God. I pray for the staff to have wisdom and compassion and I pray for God to use me as His instrument. I pray that His will be done. But should I be praying for complete healing for each and every one of these children? Will my prayers make a difference? I know that what I do is my calling and I know that God uses me as his instrument. I know that the chemotherapy and the other means that we use to cure cancer is God working through his creation. I know that each of these children who die from their cancer are no longer suffering and they are with our Lord, but why do they have to suffer at all? I can deal with my suffering (not always with the grace that I should) but why do these children, even little babies, have to deal with cancer?

I’m not usually so full of questions and at a loss for answers. I am usually at peace with my job, trusting that God is in the midst of all of it; all of the pain, suffering, joys, celebrations and sorrow. This book made me question whether I should be doing more. Should I be putting more faith in the power of prayer? I also know that the fact that we had seven children diagnosed with cancer in a 24 hour period was a little overwhelming for all of the staff on Friday causing us to spend more time on our knees in prayer to the Divine Healer.